Advances in Seafloor Mapping and Sub-Bottom Profiling Systems: Swath Sub-Bottom Backscatter, Grid-Based Calibration, Backscatter Normalization, and Acoustic Core Analyses
Abstract
In our proposed research we will evaluate a new generation of Sub-Bottom Profiler (SBP) that acquires data from a swath of seafloor, and we will investigate seafloor cores tied to significant variations in seafloor backscatter. The SBP effort will examine whether, and how well, the system can be used to identify buried features away from specular (typically nadir). Buried features can include geological layers, unconformities, authgenic carbonate, or gas hydrate. The potential to image buried features away from specular is new, and is an unintended consequence of the latest generation SBP which was developed to image specular regardless of the slope of the seafloor or sub-surface reflectors. Our objectives include determining if the present-day limit of 15?? port and starboard can be expanded through access to a previously undisclosed data format, and whether improvements in visualization can improve feature detection and interpretation. The acoustic core component of our research is also related to seafloor acoustics, but in this case seafloor multibeam mapping identified areas with significant backscatter variation (10 ??? 20 dB) over distances of kilometers to 10s of kilometers at similar water depths and similar geomorphology. Cores analyzed by Multi- Sensor Core Logger yield data that may inform the causes of backscatter variation, with both data and thecore material itself shared with NAVO to further our understanding of the causes of backscatter variation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 19, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812857
Entities
People
- Daniel Orange
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, Santa Cruz